Betfred Super League's most high-profile rivalry is renewed in Round 15 as St Helens host Wigan Warriors at the Totally Wicked Stadium at a time when the two sides' form has taken opposite turns. With the champions starting to gather a little momentum, this could be a pivotal weekend in the rugby league campaign.
With two other games taking place on Friday, here is everything you need to know about the opening day of this weekend's action.
Castleford Tigers v Salford Red Devils
Where: Mend-A-Hose Jungle, Castleford.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: No live screening
Castleford's last five: Won 26-14 v Leeds (Rd 14), Lost 4-20 @ Huddersfield (Rd 13), Lost 22-46 v Catalans (Rd 12), Lost 6-30 @ Leigh (Rd 11), Lost 7-12 v Hull KR (Rd 10)
Salford's last five: Won 26-16 v Hull KR (Rd 14), Won 29-22 v Hull FC (Rd 13), Lost 12-26 @ St Helens (Rd 12), Won 22-12 @ Leeds (Rd 11), Won 16-14 v Catalans (Rd 10)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Castleford 21/10, Salford 2/5, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Ken Sio (Salford) 15/2, Joe Burgess (Salford) 8/1, Rhys Williams (Salford) 10/1, Tim Lafai (Salford) 14/1, Jason Qareqare (Castleford) 14/1
Milestones:
If Kallum Watkins plays it will be his 350th career appearance. He has 52 games for Salford under his belt following 259 with Leeds Rhinos, eight for Gold Coast Titans and 30 at international level for England.
Previous meetings:
Round 9, 2023: Salford Red Devils 14, Castleford Tigers 6
Round 26, 2022: Castleford Tigers 10, Salford Red Devils 50
Round 13, 2022: Salford Red Devils 30, Castleford Tigers 14
Round 1, 2022: Castleford Tigers 16, Salford Red Devils 26
Round 23, 2021: Castleford Tigers 29, Salford Red Devils 18
Total Super League meetings: 50 (Castleford 32, Salford 18, no draws)
A stirring comeback against Leeds Rhinos at Magic Weekend in Newcastle has given Castleford Tigers fans renewed hope of their team achieving something beyond Super League safety in 2023. Late tries from Alex Mellor and Jason Qareqare helped Andy Last's side to overturn a seemingly certain defeat to clinch a second victory over the Rhinos this season, and the Tigers boss will be hoping they can record back-to-back successes against a Salford team they largely kept in check in the 14-6 loss at the AJ Bell in April.
Salford are a team on the up though, with last week's come-from-behind victory against Hull Kingston Rovers at St James' Park making it seven wins from eight for the Red Devils, who now sit in fifth spot in the Super League standings. Paul Rowley has had the luxury of naming eight of his players in every matchday squad so far this season, and the ever-presence of Ryan Brierley, Kallum Watkins, Brodie Croft and Marc Sneyd in particular has helped the 2019 Grand Finalists to deliver a consistency of performance through the middle of the campaign.
Sportsman stat: Only Leigh Leopards (nine) have more ever-present players than Salford so far in 2023.
Leigh Leopards v Hull FC
Where: Leigh Sports Village, Leigh.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: No live screening
Leigh's last five: Won 30-4 v Wakefield (Rd 14), Won 30-12 v Warrington (Rd 13), Won 30-4 @ Huddersfield (Rd 12), Won 30-6 v Castleford (Rd 11), Won 20-6 v Leeds (Rd 10)
Hull FC's last five: Won 30-18 v Warrington (Rd 14), Lost 22-29 @ Salford (Rd 13), Won 26-6 @ Wakefield (Rd 12), Won 14-10 v Wigan (Rd 11), Won 20-14 v Huddersfield (Rd 10)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Leigh 1/2, Hull FC 7/4, draw 18/1
Handicap betting (Hull FC +5.5): Leigh 5/6, Hull FC 10/11
Milestones:
Hull FC team-mates Jordan Lane and Jake Trueman are both in line to make their 100th Super League appearance in Friday's game.
Previous meetings:
Round 6, 2023: Hull FC 16, Leigh Leopards 24
Round 10, 2021: Leigh Centurions 22, Hull FC 64
Round 15, 2017: Hull FC 22, Leigh Centurions 26
Round 10, 2017: Leigh Centurions 10, Hull FC 24
Round 24, 2005: Hull FC 76, Leigh Centurions 20
Total Super League meetings: 7 (Leigh 2, Hull FC 4, one draw)
There's just no stopping the Leigh Leopards. They have now won their last seven games in all competitions, including six straight victories in Betfred Super League, and can be found in fourth spot on the ladder. The continued great form of scrum-half Lachlan Lam under father Adrian is helping to spearhead one of the great underdog stories of the summer era. Last weekend's resilience even when they were down to 11 players against Wakefield Trinity showed another string to their impressive bow.
Hull FC's comeback win over Warrington Wolves to round out Magic Weekend was one of the stories of the whole festival, with their phenomenal rearguard action in the first half being rewarded in the way that they got at the Wolves in attack during the second period. That victory took the Airlie Birds' improved run of form to five wins in six in all comps, and they will be seeking revenge at LSV after their disappointing Round 6 defeat at home to the Leopards.
Sportsman stat: With one more win, Leigh will already have recorded the best season of any promoted team since Huddersfield Giants' 23-point campaign in 2003.
St Helens v Wigan Warriors
Where: Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: Sky Sports Arena & Sky Sports Main Event
St Helens' last five: Won 48-6 v Huddersfield (Rd 14), Won 13-12 @ Leeds (Rd 13), Won 26-12 v Salford (Rd 12), Lost 12-24 @ Catalans (Rd 11), Won 28-6 v Warrington (Rd 10)
Wigan's last five: Lost 22-46 v Catalans (Rd 14), Won 26-22 @ Hull KR (Rd 13), Lost 18-40 v Leeds (Rd 12), Lost 10-14 @ Hull FC (Rd 11), Won 22-6 v Wakefield (Rd 10)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): St Helens 4/11, Wigan 23/10, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Tommy Makinson (St Helens) 11/2, Tee Ritson (St Helens) 7/1, Bevan French (Wigan) 7/1, Konrad Hurrell (St Helens) 8/1, Liam Marshall (Wigan) 9/1
Milestones:
Superstar full-back Jack Welsby will be making his 100th appearance for St Helens if he plays, while Wigan's Morgan Smithies is set to bring up a century of career games. Konrad Hurrell is two tries shy of 100 in his career, with 41 in Super League, 55 in the NRL and two for Tonga.
Previous meetings:
Round 8, 2023: Wigan Warriors 14, St Helens 6
Round 25, 2022: Wigan Warriors 30, St Helens 10
Round 18, 2022: St Helens 20, Wigan Warriors 18
Round 8, 2022: St Helens 22, Wigan Warriors 4
Round 20, 2021: Wigan Warriors 2, St Helens 26
Total Super League meetings: 90 (St Helens 46, Wigan 40, four draws)
With four successive wins across league and cup, Paul Wellens' side are finally starting to look a bit more like the St Helens of old. The greatest expression of their St Helens-ness so far came at Magic Weekend last Sunday when they slaughtered Huddersfield Giants 48-6 in a dazzling display, and their rookie coach will be keen to have his troops replicate that performance level when Wigan Warriors come to town on Friday night. Tommy Makinson's four tries and six goals in Newcastle-upon-Tyne were more than the whole Wigan team managed in their Saturday fixture against Catalans Dragons.
That 46-22 loss to the French outfit was the latest reminder of the Warriors' Jekyll and Hyde sensibilities. For every Good Friday derby win, they have a collapse against 12-man Leeds Rhinos in them. Sure, they went to table-topping Warrington and won, but they also turned in a blunt showing at Hull FC. Matt Peet's number one priority is to get Wigan turning up for each other week after week, and there is never a better time to start than when visiting St Helens.
Sportsman stat: No match-up has been played more often in Super League than the Saints v Wigan fixture. The 90 meetings between the old foe is eight more than the next most-played encounter, between Leeds and Wigan.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
